Police: 8 dead in shooting at Indianapolis FedEx facility

Eight people were killed in a late night shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, and the shooter killed himself, police said.

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  • Police look for motive after Indianapolis shooting

    INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT CHIEF RANDAL TAYLOR: "We've all been shaken by this heinous act."Authorities in Indianapolis said on Friday that it was still too early to know what motivated a gunman who killed eight employees at a FedEx facility and wounded several others before taking his own life. IMPD DEPUTY CHIEF CRAIG MCCARTT: "You know, I can really tell you very little..."Craig McCartt, the Indianapolis police department's deputy chief, told a news briefing that the shooting, which lasted only a couple of minutes, was already over by the time police responded to the scene.MCCARTT: "There was no confrontation with anyone that was there. There was no disturbance. There was no argument. He just appeared to randomly start shooting. And that began in the parking lot and then he did go into the facility for a brief period of time."Officers found the suspect dead inside the facility of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, along with four victims. The other four victims were outside the building. INDIANAPOLIS MAYOR JOE HOGSETT: "...tragedies like this continue to occur."Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett noted that the shooting late Thursday night was not only the latest in a spate of mass shootings across the United States but the third in his city alone so far this year.In a statement, President Joe Biden called on Congress to address what he called an "epidemic" of gun violence by enacting gun safety measures, an appeal echoed by Vice President Kamala Harris...HARRIS: "...this violence must end."... and White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki.PSAKI: "The Senate should take up and pass the three bills strengthening background checks that passed the House with bipartisan majorities and have the overwhelming support of the American people."Friday marked the 14th anniversary of the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history at Virginia Tech, which saw 32 people killed. The shooting at the FedEx facility also follows more recent rampages at three day spas in the Atlanta area that left eight dead and one at a Colorado grocery store that killed 10.

  • Sikh group wants 'bias' probe of FedEx rampage

    Four of eight workers recently shot to death at an Indianapolis FedEx facility belonged to the Sikh community… and now, a leading advocacy group is calling for a full investigation into the possibility of racial or ethnic hatred as a factor in the killings.Officials on Friday said they had yet to determine what motivated the suspect - identified as 19-year-old Brandon Hole - to carry out Thursday night’s rampage.Officers found the suspect dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.The New York-based Sikh Coalition wants an investigation to look at potential bias as a factor in the crime.The leader of the local Sikh community told Reuters the majority of employees at the FedEx site are Sikhs, and at least one Sikh individual was wounded.Police said Hole was once an employee at the FedEx plant, and was believed to have last worked there in the fall of 2020.(FRIDAY) REPORTER: "If he was a former employee, what brought him back here last night specifically?"DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT, CRAIG MCCARTT: "I wish we could answer that."According to the FBI, the shooting came a little over a year after Hole was briefly placed under psychiatric detention after his mother reported her concerns that he was contemplating "suicide by cop.”FBI agents who interviewed the teenager last April found no criminal violation at the time.It was then determined Hole possessed no "racially motivated violent extremism ideology,” according to the FBI.

  • At least 4 of 8 killed in FedEx mass shooting were members of the Sikh community

    Authorities said the shooter fired quickly without confronting any of his victims.

  • Gunman in Indiana FedEx massacre bought rifles legally after psychiatric detention

    The purchases were made a few months after Hole was briefly placed under psychiatric detention in March and a shotgun was seized from his home when his mother contacted law enforcement to report he might try to commit "suicide by cop," according to the FBI. Based on items seen in his bedroom at that time, Hole was interviewed in April, but the FBI agents found no criminal violation and determined that he had no "racially motivated violent extremism ideology," Paul Keenan, special agent in charge of the FBI's Indianapolis field office, said on Friday.

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  • Several injured after earthquake shakes southern Iran

    The star designates the epicenter of a magnitude 5.8 earthquake that struck Iran on Sunday April 18, 2021. (United States Geological Survey) A significant earthquake disrupted daily activities for portions of Iran on Sunday as effects from the quake were far-reaching. A magnitude 5.8 earthquake occurred just after noon, local time, on Sunday in the Bushehr Province of Iran, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The epicenter of the earthquake was about 17 miles (27 km) northeast of the port city of Bandar Genaveh, the capital of Genaveh County within the Bushehr Province and home to at least 60,000 people. CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Soon after the initial quake aftershocks could be felt across the province. At least two magnitude 4.4 aftershocks were recorded, the first occurred about 30 minutes after the initial quake. The second occurred just over two hours after the initial quake. However, these two more notable aftershocks were not the only ripples felt across the region. At least a dozen aftershocks have been reported since the initial rumblings, according to the Associated Press (AP). The shaking also caused landslides in the mountains in Genaveh County. ریزش کوه‌های اطراف #گناوه امروز یکشنبه ۲۹ فروردین‌ماه بر اثر دو زمین‌لرزه‌‌ به بزرگی ۵.۹ و ۴.۵ ریشتر مرز استانهای #بوشهر و #فارس حوالی بندر #گناوه را لرزاند. pic.twitter.com/1bjH4Cua0s— بگونه (@begoonaah) April 18, 2021 Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported as a result of Sunday's earthquake, but reports of several injuries began to trickle in shortly after the quake struck. The region in which Sunday's quake occurred is no stranger to minor earthquakes, but quakes surpassing a magnitude of 5.0 often lead to damage. The Iranian Red Crescent (IRC) confirmed at least five injuries resulted from Sunday's quake across the affected region. At least 10 IRC assessment teams were dispatched to impacted areas on Sunday to survey damage. Damage to buildings and homes across the Bushehr Province could be seen in images shared by local media. The quake also damaged at least one oil production facility in the area. Gachsaran Oil and Gas Production Company (GOGPC) confirmed that Sunday's earthquake caused damage to some of its oil facilities and disrupted oil production. Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, located about 60 miles (100 km) from the epicenter of Sunday's quake, sustained no damage, reported the AP. That particular facility was built to endure earthquakes up to a magnitude of 8.0. Any showers still lingering in the mountains to the east of Bandar Genaveh on Sunday will begin to dissipate through the overnight hours. As rescue and recovery efforts continue on Monday, largely dry conditions are expected along the southern coast of Iran. By the middle of the week, spotty afternoon showers can develop over the mountains. These showers are forecast to be light and brief, bringing little to no impact to the earthquake-stricken areas. Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.

  • Four members of Sikh community among dead in Indianapolis FedEx shooting -group

    (Reuters) -Four members of the Sikh religious community, three women and one man, were killed in a Thursday night shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis that claimed the lives of eight workers, a community group and local leader said on Friday. "Out of eight, four are Sikh community members," said businessman Gurinder Singh Khalsa, who identified himself as a leader of the local Sikh community and said he had spoken with the families of those killed. He said the FedEx operations center near the city's international airport was known for providing employment to older members of the Sikh community who did not necessarily speak fluent English.

  • Candlelight Vigil Held at Californian Sikh Temple for Victims of Indianapolis Shooting

    A candlelight vigil was held at a Sikh temple in Riverside, California, on April 17 for the victims of a shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis.Four of the eight people killed in the shooting on Thursday were Sikh, according to Sikh Coalition. Signs were held to remember all eight victims during the California vigil.Video taken by Gurpeet Singh shows people gathered on a street corner at the Gurdwara Riverside showing their support for the families of the victims and calling for an end to “senseless violence”.“Time for us to stop being red or blue, and start being red, white and blue,” Singh told Storyful. Credit: Gurpeet Singh via Storyful

  • Sikhs in America: A religious community long misunderstood is mourning deaths in Indianapolis mass shooting

    Members of the Sikh community in Indianapolis gather after a mass shooting in which eight people, including four Sikhs, died, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jon Cherry/Getty ImagesOn April 16, 2021, a gunman opened fire at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis killing eight people and injuring several others before taking his own life. Four members of the Sikh community were among those gunned down. The site was reported as having a significant number of Sikh employees, and the massacre has left the community shaken and in grief. “I have sat with families from our community and so many others at the Holiday Inn Express as they wait to hear the fates of their loved ones,” said Maninder Singh Walia, a member of the Indianapolis Sikh community. “These kinds of violent attacks are a threat to all of us. Our community has a long road of healing – physically, mentally, and spiritually – to recover from this tragedy.” The shooter’s motive is not yet known. In a statement following the incident, the Sikh Coalition, an advocacy group, called on authorities to conduct a full investigation “including the possibility of bias as a factor.” Sikhs have in the past been targeted in racist attacks. As a scholar of the tradition and a practicing Sikh myself, I have studied the prejudices and barriers that many Sikhs in America face. I have also experienced racial slurs from a young age. The bottom line is there is little understanding in the U.S. of who exactly the Sikhs are and what they believe. So here’s a primer. Founder of Sikhism To start at the beginning, the founder of the Sikh tradition, Guru Nanak, was born in 1469 in the Punjab region of South Asia, which is currently split between Pakistan and the northwestern area of India. A majority of the global Sikh population still resides in Punjab on the Indian side of the border. From a young age, Guru Nanak was disillusioned by the social inequities and religious hypocrisies he observed around him. He believed that a single divine force created the entire world and resided within it. In his belief, God was not separate from the world and watching from a distance, but fully present in every aspect of creation. He therefore asserted that all people are equally divine and deserve to be treated as such. To promote this vision of divine oneness and social equality, Guru Nanak created institutions and religious practices. He established community centers and places of worship, wrote his own scriptural compositions and institutionalized a system of leadership (gurus) that would carry forward his vision. The Sikh view thus rejects all social distinctions that produce inequities, including gender, race, religion and caste, the predominant structure for social hierarchy in South Asia. A community kitchen run by the Sikhs to provide free meals irrespective of caste, faith or religion, in the Golden Temple, in Punjab, India. shankar s., CC BY Serving the world is a natural expression of Sikh prayer and worship. Sikhs call this prayerful service “seva,” and it is a core part of their practice. The Sikh identity In the Sikh tradition, a truly religious person is one who cultivates the spiritual self while also serving the communities around them – or a saint-soldier. The saint-soldier ideal applies to women and men alike. In this spirit, Sikh women and men maintain five articles of faith, popularly known as the five Ks. These are: kes (long, uncut hair), kara (steel bracelet), kanga (wooden comb), kirpan (small sword) and kachera (soldier-shorts). Although little historical evidence exists to explain why these particular articles were chosen, the five Ks continue to provide the community with a collective identity, binding together individuals on the basis of a shared belief and practice. As I understand, Sikhs cherish these articles of faith as gifts from their gurus. Turbans are an important part of the Sikh identity. Both women and men may wear turbans. Like the articles of faith, Sikhs regard their turbans as gifts given by their beloved gurus, and its meaning is deeply personal. In South Asian culture, wearing a turban typically indicated one’s social status – kings and rulers once wore turbans. The Sikh gurus adopted the turban, in part, to remind Sikhs that all humans are sovereign, royal and ultimately equal. [3 media outlets, 1 religion newsletter. Get stories from The Conversation, AP and RNS.]\ Sikhs in America Today, there are approximately 30 million Sikhs worldwide, making Sikhism the world’s fifth-largest major religion. Sikh Day parade on Madison Avenue, New York. AP Photo/Craig Ruttle After British colonizers in India seized power of Punjab in 1849, where a majority of the Sikh community was based, Sikhs began migrating to various regions controlled by the British Empire, including Southeast Asia, East Africa and the United Kingdom itself. Based on what was available to them, Sikhs played various roles in these communities, including military service, agricultural work and railway construction. The first Sikh community entered the United States via the West Coast during the 1890s. They began experiencing discrimination immediately upon their arrival. For instance, the first race riot targeting Sikhs took place in Bellingham, Washington, in 1907. Angry mobs of white men rounded up Sikh laborers, beat them up and forced them to leave town. The discrimination continued over the years. For instance, after my father moved from Punjab to the United States around the time of the Iran hostage crisis in 1979 and racial slurs like “Ayatollah” and “raghead” were hurled at him. It was a time when 52 American diplomats and citizens were taken captive in Iran and tension between the two countries was high. These slurs reflected the racist backlash against those who fitted the stereotypes of Iranians. Our family faced a similar racist backlash when the U.S. engaged in the Gulf War during the early 1990s. The racist attacks spiked again after 9/11, particularly because Americans did not know about the Sikh religion and conflated the unique Sikh appearance with popular stereotypes of what terrorists look like. The rates of violence against Sikhs surged after the election of President Donald Trump. The Sikh Coalition estimated in 2018 that Americans Sikhs were being targeted in hate crimes about once a week. A Sikh American Journey parade in Pasadena, Calif. AP Photo/Michael Owen Baker Scholars and government officials estimate the Sikh American population to number around 500,000. As a practicing Sikh, I can affirm that the Sikh commitment to the tenets of their faith, including love, service and justice, keeps them resilient in the face of violence. For these reasons, many Sikh Americans, including those affected by the mass shooting in Indiana, I believe, will continue to maintain their unique Sikh identity, proudly and apologetically. This is an updated version of an article first published on Aug. 9, 2018. The Union Theological Seminary is a member of the Association of Theological Schools. The ATS is a funding partner of The Conversation US. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Simran Jeet Singh, Union Theological Seminary. Read more:French row over mosque isn’t simply about state financing – it runs deep into Islamophobia and French secularismCompassionate courage moves beyond ‘cancel culture’ to challenge systemic racism – but it’s hard work Simran Jeet Singh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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    The gunman began firing as soon as he drove up to FedEx site before killing himself, police say.

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